Life, 1920-07-15 · page 2 of 40
Life — July 15, 1920 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **product advertisement**, not political satire. The page promotes Michelin Tubes, specifically their "ring-shaped" design for oversized tire casings. The image uses visual contrast—a tiny figure (the famous Michelin Man mascot, identifiable by his wrapped/segmented appearance) stands next to enormous tire tubes to emphasize their size. The advertisement explains that Michelin tubes are designed to fit snugly in oversized casings without wrinkling, addressing a practical problem for motorists buying "Cord Tires, which are nearly all 'oversize'." This is straightforward commercial messaging from Michelin's New Jersey headquarters, emphasizing manufacturing superiority to consumers. The "satire" magazine context simply means *Life* published advertisements alongside humorous content.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
eea( cee Mlustrating how ordinary tubes are too small for “oversize” tires. a a Michelin Tubes are not only made ring-shaped to fit the casing without wrinkling, but in addition are full size in cross-section, and are therefore not stretched thin when inflated. This is especially important when buying tubes for Cord Tires, which are nearly all “oversize”. Tubes that are not really large enough for normal size casings work under a still greater dis- advantage in “oversize” casings. Therefore it is greatly to the motorist’s advantage to specify Michelin Ring-Shaped Tubes, the only tubes that both fit and fill the tube space in the casing. Michelin Tire Company, Milltown, New Jersey — Other factories: Clermont-Ferrand, France; London, England; Tarin, Italy. Dealers in all parts of the world RISE comicbooks#¢om a pe egaeee eeare